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Demented Are Go formed in Penarth, South Wales, near Cardiff. Initially, the band was disorganised, with Mark Phillips or "Sparky"[2] playing drums, Ant Thomas singing, Richard Jonesplaying bass, and Steve Jordan, playingrhythm guitar with a gold-top Les Paul. The band's image was represented by Jones' red dyed hair and Jordan's leather trousers. Dick Thomas, a veteran musician of the punk-pub rock circuits,[1] joined the band in early 1983 and proceeded to reshuffle the line-up (Thomas moved to drums and Phillips sang vocals), taught the bass player how to play his instrument, and, otherwise, consolidated the overall band.

After six weeks of rehearsals, the band's first gig was third on the bill to a line-up of Crass-type anarchist bands at the Sea Lion in Penarth and was met with good reception. Several years of playing everything from working men's clubsin the Rhondda to the red-light district in Hamburg, turning up at the Klub Foot twenty minutes after they were due on stage.

They recorded two songs for their first release on a 1984 compilation, Hell's Bent On Rockin' from Nervous Records,[1] a well-known record label in the psychobilly scene. At this point Jones and Jordan Had been replaced by Gavin Evans on guitar and Ed Fleming on bass.These tracks were engineered and co-produced by Paul "Doc" Stewart at Village Way Recording. Evans and Fleming left in late 1984, the line up then incorporated multi-instrumentalist Ray Thompson, who had been working with Dick on various side projects since 1983. In 1986, they released their first album, In Sickness & In Health, on ID Records,[1] which was recorded in less than 24 hours with 90% first takes, with Ray Thompson on bass. The core members at this time remained Mark, Ant and Dick.

The band moved to London in 1986 in an attempt to be closer to regular work. Ray's departure left a difficult hole to fill, which resulted in what became known as the "Month of a Thousand Bass Players", it was actually closer to a year, which involved getting ANYONE who knew how to play a Bass to fill the slot.[2] Dick left in 1987, after continuing frustration with the direction which the band was taking. Undeterred, the then new double-bass player and songwriter, Graeme Grant, recruited Lex "Luther" (at Dick's last Klubfoot gig)[2] to replace Dick, who incidentally coached Lex to bring him up to speed with the band's material. In 1988, this was followed with the second full-length album, Kicked Out of Hell that reached high positions in the "indie" charts, in both the United Kingdom (UK) and abroad.

The band began extensively touring Europe and gained both a psychobilly and punk rock following.[2] At this point, the lead singer, Phillips,started frequently usingpsychoactive drugs,[1] such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), and alcohol.[1] Graeme and Luthor both left the band at the end of 1989,[1] with the latter rejoining the band shortly after. "Billy Munster" replaced Graeme on double bass,[1] but later, Billy moved to America while Graeme would eventually return to bass duties in 1992.[1]